Barrel closure



R. S. FETTER BARREL CLOSURE July 2 8, 1936.

Filed May 26, 1934 Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BARREL CLOSURE Ralph S. Fetter, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application May 26, 1934, Serial No. 727,692

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a closure for barrels and more particularly to'closure means associated with the removable heads, such as are used in shipping various materials.

The present invention relates to the general type of barrel closure in which the barrel is provided at its open end with a bead and a removable head is applied, this head also having a bead and the closure is effected by a split ring which em- 10 braces the beads of the barrel and the head. This type' of closure provides a reliable lock between the head and the barrel but difiiculty is encountered in providing means which will hold the ring to the barrel and head with uniform effect around the periphery of the barrel.

' It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a barrel closure of this general type which includes means for locking the ring to the beads of the barrel and head at various points around the periphery of the ring and also holds the ring tightly in place so as to hold the barrel headtightly sealed on the barrel. With a barrel closed in accordance with the present invention there is no danger of the ring loosening and a re- 25 liable and efiective seal is provided which insures both against leakage of material from the barrel and-also against the" entrance of moisture or other contaminating agents.

Another object of the present invention is to 30:: provide such a barrel closurewhich is extremely inexpensive in construction, which can be quickiy applied to the barrel without the use of any tools other than a hammer and which can be as quickly released from the barrel by using a tool such as a 35 claw hammer or the like. This not only provides an inexpensive closure but also greatly facilitates the' 'application' and removal of the head from the barrel.

Another object of the present invention is to 40 provide such a barrel closure which comprises a relatively'large number of clamping pieces spaced around the periphery of the split ring so that the split ring is held with uniform pressure against Another object'of'the present invention is to provide a split ring closure in which the clamping satmeans are carriedexclusively by the ring, thereby avoiding the necessity of attaching parts to the barrel head and barrel and further in which the clamping means are permanently secured to the ring so that the barrel is composed of but three units, namely, the barrel, its head and the split 5 ring with its attached clamping means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a closure which permits of the ready application of the usual sealing wire with its lead seal so that the barrel cannot be opened 10 without breaking the seal, thereby notifying the consignee when the barrel has been tampered with by unauthorized persons.

Another object of the present invention is to provide clamping means which can all be made from the same die thereby avoiding the necessity of making special parts.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the top of a barrel having its head sealed by a closure made in accordance with my invention and showing some of the clamping members in their inoperative positions to illustrate the manner in which the closure is applied.

.Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the clampingv ring showing one of the clamping members elevated.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View, in perspective, through the rim of the barrel, the flange of the barrel head and showing the clamping ring applied thereto with one of the clamping members in its elevated position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the barrel at the ends of the split ring.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary vertical radial sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 4.

The barrel [0 to which the closure is applied can be of any suitable construction but is shown as comprising the usual steel shell having an outwardly projecting bead II at its rim. The head I2 is shown as being of the usual construction having an upstanding flange [3 at its periphery, the rim of this flange being turned outwardly so as to form a bead M which is formed to fit over the bead I I. In order to provide a tight seal and prevent the entrance of moisture or other contaminating agents a gasket l5 of rubber or the like is shown as being interposed between the beads l4 and II of the head and the barrel.

The split closure ring I6 is shown as being 0- shaped in section, its channel facing inwardly and is adapted to be applied, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so that it embraces the beads H and M of the ly so that the leg 22 of the clip is S-shaped. One,

end of the 8-shaped leg 22 is extended to form an ear 2 5 and this ear is pivotally attached to the ring by a radially extending rivet 25.

The clip Elia at the end H of the split ring identical with the other clipsjilexcept that a;

hole 26 is provided at the outer end of the leg 22 and the clip 291) at the end 88 of the split'ringis identical with the clips2il except that'it is left handed compared with the clips 28, i. c, has its attaching ear arranged at the other end as compared with the clips 20; and is also provided I with ahole 27 at the outer end of its S-shaped leg. It will be understood, however, that the clip 251) can be made from the same die as the other clips the only differencebeing that it is channeled from the opposite side. arranged adjacent one another and are adapted to receive a sealing wire 28, the ends. of which are connected by the'usiial lead seal 29.

Closing a barrel with a closure as described, is anextrernely simple operation. All the operator has to do'is to set the head on the barrel, place the split ring 56 around the flanges of the barrel head and hammer' down the clips 20, 20a and 26?). In hammering downtlie' clips the operatorstarts with the clip 20 in the center of the split ring so as to draw the center of the split ring tightly into engagement with the beads of thef barrel and head and 'then' hammers down the clips '28 successively toward the ends ofthe ring,. finishing with the clips 20a and 20b. In this manf neri the ring is drawn uniformly into tight en-" "gagement withthelbeads of the'barrel and head,

andthe ring draws these beads togetherfland holds them with uniform pressure" throughout their-extent. After the clips are'hammered down the operator passes'the sealing wire'28 through the ho1es25 and 21 andapplies'the'lead seal 29;. and the barrel is ready for shipment and cannot be openedWithout'breaking' the lead seall' Opening the closure ,isan equally simple matten, All the consignee has to dois to pry up the clips with a claw hammer or any other suitable instrument whereupon he can remove the clamping ring and headof the .barrel. The

opening operation does not in any way destroy any, part of the cl'osure, except, of course, the sealing wire and the entire barrel closure is'ready 1 for're-use. I v s 7 From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides an extremely simple:

inexpensive and reliable closure which provides a tight, strong, dust "and jmoisture-proo-f seal between a barrel and its head and at the same timeis very easily applied and equally as easily removed.

I claim asmyinvention; i i l. Fastening means for securing a head on a barrel or the like, cor'nprisin'ga split ring adapted t'o*be fitted over the rims of said barrel and head; an'd a plurality of u-shaped clips pivotally connected to said ring and adapted tobe driven The holes 26 and 21 are barrel and barrel head and, when tightened around the barrel, draws these beads together so over said ring and rims and drawing thesam into firm engagement with one another.

- 2. Fastening means for securing a head on a barrel or the like, said barrel having an outwardly beaded mouth and said head having an upstanding rim with an outwardly, beaded edge overlaying the bead of said barrel, comprising a split channel ring having its channel facing inwardly and adapted to embrace said beads and a plurality of U-shaped clips pivotallyiconnected' 1 to said ring and adapted to be driven downward- 1y over said ring and the rims of said barrel and head to draw the same into firm engagement with'one another..

3. Fastening means for securing a head on a 1 barrel or the like, said barrel having an outwardly beaded mouth and said head-having an upstanding rim with anoutwardly beaded edge overlaying the bead of said barrel, comprising a split 0- shaped channel ring having its channel facing 2 inwardly and adapted to embrace said beads and a plurality of ll -shaped clips pivotally connected to: said ring and adapted to be driven downwardly over said ring and the rims of said barrel and head to draw the same into firm engagementwith 2 one another the inner leg of each of saidclips being adapted to-slide along the inner face ofthe rim of said head and the other leg of each clip being S-shaped in section to slide around and embrace the'convex side of said ring. 3 4. Fastening means for securing a head on a barrel or the like, comprisinga split ring adapted to be fitted over' the rims of said barrel and head,

a clip' U-shaped' 'in' cross section and pivoted to.

said ring a'short distance from one end to em- 3 brace, the end of, said ring, a similar clip provided at the otherend of said ring, said clips beingadapted to be driven over the ends of said ring and said rims to draw the same into firm en gagement withone anotherand means for sealing theends of said clips when in their operative positions. 7 f 1 5. Fastening. means for'securing a head o nfa barrel or the like, said barrel having a radially" outwardly extending beadatiits Trim and said head having an upstanding rim and aradially outwardly extending bead at the edge o fj said rim' overlaying the bead of said barreLcomprising a split ringwhich is C-shaped in cross section hav ing its channel facinginwardly and being adapted to embrace the beads of said barrel and'head a plurality of clipseach pivoted atone ofiits ends to'said ring" and'being u shap'ed in cross section} one ,legjof each of said clips being adapted to engagethe' inner face of the rim of said'head and the "other leg being curved to embrace the convex side of said'ring and said clipsibeing adapted'to be driven downwardly to'dra'w said' ring into firm engagement'with said beads, the v clipsiatth'e ends .of said ringopposingoneane.

other gin" their swingin'g movementl and'having holes at'their outer ends adapted to jointly re, ceived a sealing wire whereby saidfend clips can-;

not be openedwithoutbreaking said sealingwire. .7

6L Fastening meansv for securing a head'on-a barrel'or the like, said head having an upstanding rim and the barrel being provided with an external bead at its mouth, comprising an an-g nular channel adapted to be fitted from the out-fside of said bead with its upper edge fitting over 7 the rim, of said head and its'lower edge fitting under thevbead of,said barrel and said edges of said channel being 'fiared whereby upon forcing I said-channel radially inward the rim oi i said a is d a n n ll mm mm en a em nt w th. 7

said bead, and means for so forcing said channel radially inward comprising a plurality of U- shaped clips adapted to be driven downward over the rims of said barrel and head parallel with the axis of the barrel, the space between the legs of said clip being less than the distance from the outside of said channel to the inside face of said flange whereby the forcing of said legs downwardly in engagement with the outside of said channel and the inside face of said flange draws said channel radially inward.

7. Fastening means for securing a head on a barrel or the like, said barrel having a radially outward projecting head at its mouth and said head having an upstanding rim and a radially outwardly projecting bead at the edge of said rim and overlaying the bead of said barrel, comprising an annular channel adapted to be fitted against the outsides of said beads with its upper edge fitting over the bead of said head and its lower edge fitting under the bead of said barrel and the said edges of said channel being flared so that upon forcing said channel radially inward said beads are drawn axially toward one another, and means for so forcing said channel radially inward, comprising a plurality of U-shaped clips adapted to be driven downward over the rims of said barrel and head parallel with the axis of said barrel, the space between the legs of said clip being less than the distance from the outside of said channel to the inside of the flange of said head whereby the forcing of said legs downwardly in engagement with said outside face of said channel and the inside face of said flange draws said channel radially inward.

8. Fastening means for securing ahead on a barrel or the like, said head having an upstanding rim and the barrel being provided with an external bead at its mouth, comprising a split annular channel adapted to be fitted from the outside of said bead with its upper edge fitting over the rim of said head and its lower edge fitting under the bead of said barrel and said edges of said channel being flared whereby upon forcing said channel radially inward the rim of said head is drawn axially into firm engagement with said bead, and means for so forcing said channel radially inward, comprising a plurality of U-shaped clips adapted to be driven downward over the rims of said barrel and head parallel with the axis of the barrel, the space between the legs of said clip being less than the distance from the outside of said channel to the inside face of said flange whereby the forcing of said legs downwardly in engagement with the outside of said channel and the inside face of said flange draws said channel radially inward.

RALPH S. FETTER. 

